PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Islam Muranov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ramses Dragunav (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). On his way into the cage it seems that Islam Muranov has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Islam Muranov seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Muranov
vs
Dragunav

170 cm
25
138 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

165 cm
25
135 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Islam Muranov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ramses Dragunav!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Dmitry Maklakov and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Dragunav fails with an attempt to clinch.
Dragunav misses with a takedown attempt - Muranov sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Dragunav tries to close the distance and clinch up but Muranov swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Muranov circles away from the clinch attempt.
Ramses Dragunav seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Dragunav tries to clinch but Muranov moves out of range.
Dragunav lands a jab-cross combination.
Muranov keeps the fight on the outside.
Dragunav misses with a takedown attempt

and Muranov counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Dragunav!
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Dragunav is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Muranov taking a breather here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Muranov wants to lay and pray for a moment but Dragunav keeps working.

Muranov is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Dragunav is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
You can see the frustration on Dragunav's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Muranov wants to control but Dragunav is keeping him busy.
Dragunav manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Dragunav looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Dragunav is working for an americana but Muranov has been sneaky and has managed to get back to half guard, whilst Dragunav was thinking about the submission.
Dragunav looking to pass the guard.
Dragunav wants to control from the top but Muranov keeps moving.
Muranov looking for a sweep. Not yet Muranov, not yet.
Muranov controls Dragunav momentarily but Dragunav frees himself.

Muranov is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Dragunav defends well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Muranov controls Dragunav momentarily but Dragunav frees himself.
Dragunav throws a big right hand that misses.
Muranov working a defensive guard here.

Muranov had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Dragunav defends it easily.
Dragunav stands up over Muranov, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

Muranov looking for a guillotine here but Dragunav defends easily.

Dragunav got a little sloppy there for a moment and Muranov has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Dragunav has managed to get both his arms back between Muranov's legs - danger averted.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dragunav trying to control the position from guard on top but Muranov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Dragunav seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Muranov keeping moving, preventing Dragunav from controlling successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Ramses Dragunav has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
The fight stays on the outside here - Dragunav looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Islam Muranov will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Dragunav misses with a body kick.
Dragunav tries to land a front kick but Muranov steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Dragunav fails to land the takedown.

Dragunav gets a double leg takedown into Muranov's guard.
Dragunav pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Muranov is keeping the position for now.
Dragunav postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Muranov tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Muranov manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Dragunav manages to get himself to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dragunav working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Muranov.

Dragunav looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Dragunav working a defensive guard but Muranov passes into half guard.
Dragunav is looking to improve his position.
Muranov is controlling the pace.

Dragunav is defending against the submission attempts here by Muranov.
Dragunav is looking for a sweep. Muranov is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dragunav wants to control but Muranov is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Dragunav has hold of Muranov's hands but Muranov slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

Muranov seems to be working for a kimura but Dragunav defends the submission attempt.
Dragunav is trying to stand.
Dragunav is staying active underneath Muranov, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Dragunav moves into full guard.
Dragunav looking to hit a scissor sweep but Muranov is one step ahead there.
Dragunav keeping moving, preventing Muranov from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dragunav has momentary wrist control but Muranov slips an elbow through the middle.
Dragunav working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Muranov.
Muranov postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Muranov throwing strikes from guard but Dragunav blocks nicely.
Dragunav manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
The referee warns Muranov that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Muranov regains half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Muranov has a hand on Dragunav's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Dragunav takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Muranov regains half guard.
Dragunav slips a nice elbow through Muranov's hands, connecting with Muranov's forehead.
Muranov is staying active underneath Dragunav, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
It looks like Dragunav is going to stand back up.
Dragunav wants to pass to mount but Muranov is defending the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Dragunav tries to stand but can't do so whilst Muranov controls his leg.
Dragunav prevents Muranov from improving his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Ramses Dragunav will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Muranov keeps the fight on the outside.

Dragunav forces Muranov back against the cage and clinches.
Dragunav misses with a shot to the kidneys.

Dragunav has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Muranov is trying to keep an underhook but Dragunav manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Muranov makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Muranov.

Muranov is looking for a triangle but Dragunav pushes his legs off easily.
Dragunav wants to control from the top but Muranov keeps moving.

Muranov working for a triangle but Dragunav defends it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Muranov working a defensive guard here.

Muranov throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Islam Muranov overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Dragunav trying to control the position from guard on top but Muranov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Muranov throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Dragunav escapes and throws Muranov's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Dragunav looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Muranov is avoiding damage well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Muranov tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Dragunav wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Dragunav trying to control the position but Muranov is working away.
Muranov is trying to get back to half guard.
Muranov is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Dragunav is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Muranov is trying to escape the mount.
Dragunav throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Muranov because Dragunav loaded up on that one.

Dragunav jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Muranov is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Muranov and Dragunav has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
Muranov manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Dragunav is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Muranov sees it coming and defends easily.
Dragunav is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Dragunav trying to control the position from guard on top but Muranov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Muranov throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Dragunav controlling from the top position.

Muranov throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dragunav sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Muranov wants to stand but Dragunav is controlling the position.
Muranov is trying to control the position from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Dragunav wants to pass the guard but Muranov is keeping the position.
Dragunav trying to control but Muranov is working from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Ramses Dragunav.
I think Dragunav has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 29:29
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 28:29

The fight is ruled a draw!